One of the amphitheater’s most popular returning stars delivered his intoxicating blend of reggae, funk, soul, folk, rock and more to an enthused audience on Sunday in Meijer Gardens’ next-to-last concert of the summer. The review and photos at Local Spins, plus photo galleries from the Eastown Streetfair, Avery Anna at Elevation and Sophistafunk with Desmond Jones at Warner Vineyards.
Labor Day weekend launched with some deliciously scary heavy music across the state, but also featured a celebrated jam band and a tribute to a late Kalamazoo musician.
The legendary jam band’s two straight jubilant nights at Van Andel Arena featured a guest appearance by the Michigan-bred bluegrass phenom, stellar lights and memorable jams. Billy Strings himself called it “magic.” Revisit Tuesday’s show in words, photos and video and view set lists from both nights at Local Spins along with comments from Billy about his guest spots.
With the iconic jam band Phish playing two straight nights at Grand Rapids’ Van Andel Arena, Local Spins asked super fan and Desmond Jones guitarist Isaac Berkowitz to create a Top 10 Phish playlist.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
It was a weekend of musical contrasts in West Michigan: theatrical rock, jam-heavy funk, EDM, metal, hip hop, punk and more, all showcased in dynamic Local Spins photos at venues from Grand Rapids to Kalamazoo to Paw Paw.
Playlists · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
Kicking off Thursday in southern Kent County, the second-year, three-day fest features Desmond Jones, Myron Elkins, Full Cord and more. Get the complete lowdown, schedule, playlist and details at Local Spins.
Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
The 42nd Blissfest unfurled north of Harbor Springs last weekend, with performances by internationally acclaimed roots music stars and regional acts. Highlights, photos and videos at Local Spins.
The two, jam-happy rock bands with more than a half-century of music to unleash had folks dancing in the humidity and sunshine at Meijer Gardens on Friday. The review, photos and a Little Feat set list at Local Spins.
The season-starting version of Hoxeyville unfurls for the first time this weekend, with Infamous Stringdusters, Leftover Salmon and regional favorites Luke Winslow-King, Sweet Water Warblers & more. Get the preview, schedule and videos at Local Spins.
Emerging Artists to Watch · Upcoming shows · Videos
The multi-talented band led by drummer Zach Dubay lights up SpeakEZ Lounge tonight for the Local Spins Wednesdays series along with Traverse City’s The Marsupials. Learn more about the band, Dubay and the group’s upcoming shows.
Breaking music news · Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Beyond musical action featuring everything from a Canadian rock mainstay to The Accidentals, the weekend boasted the first Music Econ Summit and a Latvian Song & Dance Festival announcement. The scoop and photo galleries at Local Spins.
Albums that Changed the World · Audio · Playlists
With the much-anticipated announcement of the Meijer Gardens summer concert series just a week away, communications director John VanderHaagen reveals recordings that have shaped him.
Concert announcements · Summer Festivals · Videos
A who’s who roster of regional bands — from Chirp and The Bootstrap Boys to Hannah Rose Graves and The Microtones with Don Julin — will light up the August music festival in southern Kent County. Details, links at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Beyond a flurry of football, the long Thanksgiving weekend cooked up a buffet of rock, hip hop, bluegrass, Americana and jam-band charm at venues from Grand Rapids to Holland to Kalamazoo.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
Our concert photo round-up for the week kicks off with Saturday’s benefit show starring Young the Giant at GLC Live at 20 Monroe, plus Valerie June, Papadosio, Apashe, Honey Revenge and more. Browse more than a half-dozen photo galleries at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Traverse City · Upcoming shows · Videos
The reggae-infused funk, jam and rock band plays a special 20th birthday show in Cadillac this weekend, with plans for recording new material in 2024. The back story and a video at Local Spins.
Tie-dyes, classic Grateful Dead jams. and a long (not-so-strange) trip. That was the order of the evening at Meijer Gardens on Thursday as Dark Star Orchestra paid tribute to the iconic rock band and more. The review and photo gallery at Local Spins.
The popular Midwest jam band returned to Meijer Gardens on Sunday night for an improvisation-heavy, sold-out show. The recap, photo gallery and set list at Local Spins.
Playlists · Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
One of Michigan’s youngest music festivals has quickly become a favorite, lighting up Fourth of July weekend for the third year in Trufant. Get the lowdown and listen to music from this year’s performers.
Album Releases · Album reviews · Audio · Upcoming shows
New recordings by Y-Not, Rob Jordan, Pink Sky and John Lamb also pump up this late March round-up of reviews of fresh music by Michigan bands and solo artists. Listen to tracks from all of the releases.
Our ‘Whatever Happened To’ series exploring the status of once-popular West Michigan bands catches up with members of Ultraviolet Hippopotamus, which played its last show in 2018. Find out where they are now and what the future may (or may not) hold.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
From singer-songwriter charm to bass music to rock ‘n’ roll to rising-star country to metalcore, West Michigan’s music week pumped up fans of all stripes. It also produced an on-stage butt tattoo for one of the touring artists. Really. Get the lowdown and view all the photos at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts · Videos
The Grand Rapids band releasing a new album tonight was featured for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted tracks by Jack Droppers, The Accidentals, Oxford Fields, Sage Castleberry and more. Learn more about Y-Not and listen to this week’s radio show podcast.
Albums that Changed the World · Audio
After playing a much-celebrated set at the WYCE Jammie Awards on Friday, Grand Rapids guitarist and songwriter Elijah Russ today reveals the recordings that have impacted him most.. Get his back story and listen to tracks from all of the recordings at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Festivals · Weekend Photo Gallery
Michigan’s wintry weekend delivered more than snow: Bands heated up stages from Grand Rapids to Comstock Park to Kalamazoo to Ann Arbor. The photo galleries and recaps at Local Spins, including coverage of The Floozies, Buku, Hail Your Highness, Lucius Fox and much more.
Artist Spotlights · Upcoming shows · Videos
Melding elements of jazz, psychedelia, Motown, pop, R&B, funk and more into its approach, Pajamas is starting to make waves across the state. The Artist Spotlight at Local Spins, along with videos of the band’s live performances.
From tour stops by Greensky Bluegrass, Straight No Chaser, Daryl Hall and Todd Rundgren to Thanksgiving eve parties starring Desmond Jones, Hannah Rose Graves and more, it’s a jam-packed week. Get the lowdown and a list of shows at Local Spins.
Album reviews · Audio · Upcoming shows
After an insanely busy summer, Local Spins is back with a batch of reviews of 2022 releases by Michigan artists, from dark rock to folk to Gypsy swing to jam-band glory, plus a look at projects by Wild Honey Collective and Jeremy Ensley. Learn more about these diverse recordings and listen to tracks from each release.
Concert reviews · Weekend Photo Gallery
The week leading up to Labor Day brought a diverse mix of artists — national and local — to area stages. Local Spins was there to document the late-summer revelry in photos.
Playlists · Summer Festivals · Uncategorized · Upcoming shows
The Labor Day weekend festival at Liberty Mountain also boasts more than 50 Michigan acts, from Biomassive to Desmond Jones. Get the preview and the Big Fam Festival playlist at Local Spins.
The South Bend-bred prog-fusion band that got its start playing small West Michigan venues proved its fan-fueled, instrumental mettle in a sold-out show at Meijer Gardens on Wednesday. Revisit the evening via the Local Spins review, photo gallery and set list.
Photos · Summer Festivals · Videos
Local Spins has compiled some of the top highlights from the three-day celebration on Shagbark Farm, along with photos and videos. Revisit the final edition of this festival in southern Kent County.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
The Traverse City band which lit up Cowpie Music Fest on Friday debuted new music for Local Spins on WYCE, which aired fresh tracks by Act Casual, The Accidentals, Strange Heart, The Aquaerials, Adrian Jay and more. Get the back story on Biomassive and listen to this week’s full radio show podcast.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
The southern Kent County festival’s final salvo began with a sultry bang on Thursday, featuring standout sets by MonoNeon, Mungion, Desmond Jones, Cosmic Knot and more. The recap and photos, only at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Summer Festivals
Fans couldn’t have asked for a better weekend to soak in live music in the great outdoors, especially at cozy festivals in Morley and Allegan. Plus, Blackberry Smoke sizzled in its Kalamazoo tour stop. Browse the photos at Local Spins.
Artist Spotlights · Photos · Videos
The celebrated keyboardist who’s transcribed Phish and Grateful Dead jams for piano is lovingly termed the ‘sixth member’ of Greensky Bluegrass while also fronting Ghost Light. The Local Spins interview with this budding star who boasts West Michigan roots.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
The live music parade started on Monday with a farewell concert by mewithoutyou in Kalamazoo and continued through a resplendent week of weather with outdoor shows in Rockford and at Meijer Gardens, Studio Park and Bell’s Beer Garden. The photo recaps exclusively at Local Spins.
Summer Festivals · Upcoming shows
With Desmond Jones, Bootstrap Boys, Cosmic Knot and more West Michigan acts on the bill, next weekend’s cozy affair has ‘cute and endearing’ written all over it — part of a trend toward intimate regional music festivals. Learn more about the origins of the Tamarack and view the lineup at Local Spins.
The spectacle in the Rothbury woods wrapped up in the wee hours Sunday, sending tens of thousands of revelers home tired but happy. Check out some of the highlights in this recap and browse four photo galleries.
Listen to the June 24 edition of the show, devoted to spotlighting artists set to perform during Saturday’s Jammie Awards at The Intersection.
Concert reviews · Videos · Weekend Photo Gallery
The weekend was full of surprises, including a giant turnout for City Built Brewing’s Bridge Blast on the 6th Street Bridge with performances by J.Rob, Biomassive and more, plus a Start of Summer tribute to David Bowie, the return of Brie Stoner and eclectic shows in Kalamazoo. Browse the photo galleries, watch the videos at Local Spins.
West Michigan’s weekend kicked off with a musical bang, thanks to a much-anticipated Chvrches tour stop, not to mention Trixy Tang, Desmond Jones, Bronk Bros. & Roosevelt Diggs revving up Rockford and a Listening Lawn tribute to Tom Petty.
Enthused, happy crowds cheered Friday’s Local Spins 10th anniversary double-header: Jake Kershaw and Hank Mowery at a packed Tip Top Deluxe, Desmond Jones with The Legal Immigrants at Elevation. Get the recaps and browse photo galleries at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Concerts
The series announced today features a record 33 shows, including the return of Sheryl Crow, Elvis Costello, Goo Goo Dolls and The Decemberists. Fans can expect higher ticket prices, too. View the full schedule and get details at Local Spins.
Concert announcements · Summer Concerts
Christian music star Jeremy Camp also is among touring artists announced for N. Michigan’s Interlochen Arts Festival. Details at Local Spins.
Launching a St. Patrick’s Day celebration a few weeks early, Gaelic Storm kicked up its heels Tuesday, followed by jam band Proxima Parada and Kalamazoo’s own Fake Baseball on Wednesday. Get the show recaps and view the photos at Local Spins.
Breaking music news · Features · Music and Technology
Created by a South Bend tech startup, the innovative app is being embraced by some West Michigan acts as a way of connecting with fans and monetizing their performances. Get the details at Local Spins.
Concert reviews · Photos · Videos
After a quiet 2020, the night before Thanksgiving in 2021 showed signs of reviving the musical flurry that’s traditionally kicked off the holiday weekend. Local Spins captured the vibe at three of the shows on Wednesday in words and images.
The progressive metro Detroit jam fusion band has released two new tracks this fall as it prepares to release its full-length debut album and gets revved up for a three-day New Year’s Eve bash. Learn more about Act Casual in this Artist Spotlight feature, a partnership with Ypsilanti’s Grove Studios.
Artist Spotlights · Local Spins on WYCE · Podcasts
The Grand Rapids jam band with a big upcoming Thanksgiving Eve show went acoustic for Local Spins on WYCE, which also debuted tracks by Lucy Lowis, Aquaerials, Lexi Adams, Allie Fennema and more. The back story, radio show podcast and more at Local Spins.
